2011 Seat Altea XL height

Child safety
46Child safetyBrief introductionIntroduction
Statistics show that children are generally safer on the rear
seat than on the front passenger seat.For safety reasons we recommend that children under 12 years of age travel
on the rear seats. Depending on their age, height and weight, children trav-
elling on the rear seat must use a child seat or a seat belt. For safety reasons,
the child seat should be installed in the centre of the rear seat or behind the
front passenger seat.
The physical laws involved and the forces acting in a collision apply also to
children. ⇒page 21, “Why wear seat belts?”. But unlike adults, children do
not have muscle and bone structures fully developed. This means that chil-
dren are subject to a greater risk of injury.
To reduce this risk, children must always use special child restraint systems
when travelling in the vehicle.
We recommend the use of child safety products from the SEAT Genuine Acces-
sories Programme, which includes systems for all ages made by “Peke”
2).
These systems have been especially designed and approved, complying with
the ECE-R44. regulation.
Follow the manufacturer’s instructions and observe any statutory require-
ments when installing and using child seats. Always read and note
⇒ page 46, “Safety notes on using child seats”. We recommend you to include the manufacturer’s Child Seat instruction
manual together with the on-board documentation.
Safety notes on using child seats
Proper use of child seats substantially reduces the risk of
injury in an accident!As the driver, you are responsible for any children you transport in
your vehicle.
– Protect your children by properly using the appropriate child
seats ⇒page 48.
– Always ensure that the seat belt is properly positioned according to the instructions provided by the manufacturer of the child
seat.
– When travelling, do not allow children to distract you from traffic.
– Take breaks regularly during long trips. Take a break at least
every two hours.
WARNING
•Never install a child seat facing backwards on the front passenger seat
unless the front passenger airbag has been disabled. This could lead to a
risk of potentially fatal injuries to the child! However, if it is necessary, in
exceptional cases, to transport a child in the front passenger seat, the front
passenger airbag must always be disabled ⇒page 44, “Deactivating
2)Not for all countries
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Child safety47
Safety First
Operating Instructions
Practical Tips
Technical Specifications
airbags*”. If the passenger seat has a height adjustment option, move it to
the highest position.
•For those vehicles that do not include a key lock switch to turn the
airbag off, an Authorised Service Centre must be consulted.•All passengers, especially children, must assume the proper sitting
position and be properly belted in while travelling.•Never hold children or babies on your lap, this can result in potentially
fatal injuries to the child!•Never allow a child to be transported in a vehicle without being properly
secured, or to stand up or kneel on a seat while travelling. In an accident,
the child could be flung through the vehicle, causing possibly fatal injuries
to themselves and to the other passengers.•If children assume an improper sitting position when the vehicle is
moving, they expose themselves to greater risk of injury in the event of a
sudden braking manoeuvre or in an accident. This is particularly important
if the child is travelling on the front passenger seat and the airbag system
is t riggered in an accid ent ; as this could caus e s erious inj ur y or eve n deat h.•A suitable child seat can protect your child!•Never leave an unsupervised child alone on a child seat or in the
vehicle.•Depending on weather conditions, it may become extremely hot or cold
inside the vehicle. This can be fatal.•Children who are less than 1.5 metres tall must not wear a normal seat
belt without a child seat, as this could cause injuries to the abdominal and
neck areas during a sudden braking manoeuvre or in an accident.•Do not allow the seat belt to become twisted or jammed, or to rub on
any sharp edges.•Incorrectly worn seat belts can cause injuries even in a minor collision
or in sudden braking manoeuvres.
•The seat belt provides maximum protection only when the seat belt is
properly positioned ⇒page 24, “Seat belts”.•Only one child may occupy a child seat ⇒page 48, “Child seats”.
WARNING (continued)
WARNING (continued)
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Seats and storage compartments
138Head restraintsCorrect adjustment of head restraints
Properly adjusted head restraints are an important part of
passenger protection and can reduce the risk of injuries in
most accident situations.
– Adjust the head restraint so that the top is at the same level as
the top of your head or as close as possible to the same level as
the top of your head, at least at eye level ⇒ fig. 92 and ⇒fig. 93 .Adjusting the head restraints ⇒page 139.
WARNING
•Travelling with the head restraints removed or improperly adjusted
increases the risk of severe injuries.•Improperly adjusted head restraints could lead to death in the event of
a collision or accident.•Incorrectly adjusted head restraints also increase the risk of injury
during sudden or unexpected driving or braking manoeuvres.•The head restraints must always be adjusted according to the
passenger’s height.
Fig. 92 Front view: head
restraints and seat belts
correctly adjusted
Fig. 93 Side view: head
restraints and seat belts
correctly adjusted
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Seats and storage compartments139
Safety First
Operating Instructions
Practical Tips
Technical Specifications
Removing or adjusting head restraints
The head restraints can be adjusted by moving them up and
down.Adjusting height (front seats)
– Press the button on the side and pull upwards to the desired
position.
– To lower the head restraint, press the button and push head
restraint downwards.
– Make sure that it engages securely into position.
Adjusting height (rear seats)
– Press the button on the side and pull upwards to the desired position. – To lower the head restraint,
press the button and push head
restraint downwards.
– Make sure that the head restraint engages securely in one of its positions ⇒page 14.
Angle adjustment (front seats)
– Press the head restraint forward or back to the required position.
Removing the head restraint
– Push the head restraint up as far as it will go.
– Press the button ⇒fig. 94 (arrow).
– Pull head restraint out of fitting without releasing the button.
Fitting the head restraint
– Insert the head restraint into the guides on the backrest.
– Push head restraint down.
– Adjust the head restraint to suit body size ⇒page 14 and
⇒ page 13.
WARNING
•Never drive if the head restraints have been removed. Risk of injury.•Never drive if the head restraints are in an unsuitable position, there is
a risk of serious injury.•After refitting the head restraint, you must always adjust it properly for
height to achieve optimal protection.•Please observe the safety warnings in ⇒page 138, “Correct adjust-
ment of head restraints”.
Fig. 94 Adjusting and
removing the head
restraints
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Seats and storage compartments
140 Front seatsAdjustment of the front seats The control elements in ⇒fig. 95 are mirrored for the front right-
hand seat.
Adjusting the seat forwards and backwards
– Pull up the grip and move the seat forwards or backwards.
– Then release the grip and move the seat further until the catch engages.
Adjusting the seat height*
– Pull the lever up or push down (several times if necessary) from its home position. This adjust s the seat height in stages. Adjusting the backrest angle
– Take your weight off the backrest and turn the hand wheel.
Adjusting the lumbar support*
– Take your weight off the backrest and turn the hand wheel to adjust the lumbar support.
As you make the adjustments, the curvature of the cushioned area of the
lumbar region becomes more or less acute. In this way, it adapts to the
natural curvature of the spine.
WARNING
•Never adjust the driver or front passenger seat while the vehicle is in
motion. While adjusting your seat, you will assume an incorrect sitting
position. Risk of fatal accidents. Adjust the driver or front passenger seat
only when the vehicle is stationary.•To reduce the risk of injury to the driver and front passenger in case of
a sudden braking or an accident, never drive with the backrest tilted
towards the rear. The maximum protection of the seat belt can be achieved
only when the backrests are in an upright position and the driver and front
passenger have properly adjusted their seat belts. The further the back-
rests are tilted to the rear, the greater the risk of injury due to improper
positioning of the belt web!•Exercise caution when securing the seat height into forwards/back-
wards position. Injuries can be caused if the seat height is adjusted
without due care and attention.
Fig. 95 Front left seat
controls
A1
A1
A2
A3A4
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Driving
172DrivingSteeringAdjusting the steering wheel position
The height and reach of the steering wheel can be freely
adjusted to suit the driver.
– Adjust the driver seat to the correct position.
– Push the lever under the steering column ⇒fig. 136 down
⇒ .
– Adjust the steering wheel until the correct position is set ⇒fig. 137 .
– Then push the lever up again firmly ⇒.
WARNING
•Incorrect use of the steering column adjustment function and an incor-
rect seating position can result in serious injury.•To avoid accidents, the steering column should be adjusted only when
the vehicle is stationary.
Fig. 136 Adjusting the
steering wheel position
Fig. 137 Proper sitting
position for driver
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Trailer towing211
Safety First
Operating Instructions
Practical Tips
Technical Specifications
Trailer towingInstructions to followYour vehicle may be used to tow a trailer when fitted with the correct equip-
ment.
If the vehicle is supplied with a factory-fitted towing bracket it will already
have the necessary technical modifications and meet the statutory require-
ments for towing a trailer. For the after-market fitting of a trailer towing
bracket see ⇒page 213.
Connectors
Your vehicle is fitted with a 12-pin connector for the electrical connection
between the trailer and the vehicle.
If the trailer has a 7-pin plug you will need to use an adapter cable. This is
available in any SEAT dealer.
Trailer weight / drawbar load
Never exceed the authorised trailer weight. If you do not load the trailer up to
the maximum permitted trailer weight, you can then climb correspondingly
steeper slopes.
The maximum trailer weights listed are only applicable for altitudes up to
1000 m above sea level. With increasing altitude the engine power and there-
fore the vehicle's climbing ability are impaired because of the reduced air
density. The maximum trailer weight has to be reduced accordingly. The
weight of the vehicle and trailer combination must be reduced by 10% for
every 1000 m of height. The gross combination weight is the actual weight of
the laden vehicle plus the actual weight of the laden trailer. When possible,
operate the trailer with the maximum permitted drawbar load on th e ba ll jo int
of the towing bracket, but do not exceed the specified limit. The figures for
trailer weights and drawbar loads that are given on the data
plate of the towing bracket are for certification purposes only. The correct
figures for your specific model, which may be lower than these figures for the
towing bracket, are given in the vehicle documents or in ⇒Section “Tech-
nical Data”.
Distributing the load
Distribute loads in the trailer so that heavy objects are as near to the axle as
possible. Loads carried in the trailer must be secured to prevent them
moving.
Tyre pressure
Set tyre pressure to the maximum permissible pressure shown on the sticker
on the inside of the fuel tank flap. Set the tyre pressure of the trailer tyres in
accordance with the trailer manufacturer's recommendations.
Exterior mirrors
Check whether you can see enough of the road behind the trailer with the
standard mirrors. If this is not the case, you should have additional mirrors
fitted. Both exterior mirrors should be mounted on hinged extension
brackets. Adjust the mirrors to give sufficient vision to the rear.
WARNING
Never transport people in a trailer. This could result in fatal accidents.
Note
•Towing a trailer places additional demands on the vehicle. We recom-
mend additional services between the normal inspection intervals if the
vehicle is used frequently for towing a trailer.
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Checking and refilling levels235
Safety First
Operating Instructions
Practical Tips
Technical Specifications
Opening the bonnet
The bonnet is released from inside the vehicle.
Before opening the bonnet ensure that the windscreen wipers are in
rest position.
– To release the bonnet, pull the lever under the dash panel
⇒fig. 164 in the direction indicated (arrow). The bonnet will be
released by a spring action ⇒.
– Lift the bonnet using the release lever (arrow) and open the bonnet.
– Release the bonnet stay and secure it in fixture designed for this
in the bonnet.
WARNING
Hot coolant can scald!•Never open the bonnet if you see steam, smoke or coolant escaping
from the engine compartment.•Wait until no more steam, smoke or coolant is emitted from the bonnet,
then carefully open the bonnet.•When working in the engine compartment, always observe the safety
warnings ⇒page 233.
Closing the bonnet– Raise the bonnet slightly.
– Release the bonnet stay and replace it in its support.
– At a height of about 30 cm let it fall so it is locked.
Fig. 164 Detail of foot-
well area on driver side:
lever for unlocking the
bonnet.Fig. 165 Arrester hook
for bonnet.
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